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Italy President Presses Lawmakers

Giorgio Napolitano was elected as Italy's first two-term president, but this won't resolve the underlying political instability still facing the country. Nevertheless, the breakthrough should help avert the need for another general election for now.

By

Christopher Emsden

April 22, 2013 1:11 p.m. ET

ROME—Italian President Giorgio Napolitano was sworn in for a second term and immediately lambasted the country's lawmakers as "deaf" and demanded that they back a coalition government in the next few days.

"Every party, without exception, must from now on support the decisions that must be taken for national renewal," Mr. Napolitano said in an address to Parliament on Monday.